Natural Gas Back on but Businesses Are Not Happy; Companiesreel at Costsinvolved

Article excerpt

NATURAL gas has finally been reconnected to the Fraser Coast, but now businesses will face the challenge of recovering from weeks of either no revenue or enormous increases in running costs.

After three weeks, the networkas biggest user Consolidated Linen Services is scheduled to be reconnected today.

The lack of natural gas has cost the industrial laundry an extra $5000 a day after it had to convert to bottled gas and install a diesel-powered boiler a adding up to more than $100,000 for that business alone.

CLS managing director Adam Roberts will meet with Energy Minister Mark McArdle at this weekendas Community Cabinet to ask why natural gas supply was allowed to become a monopoly in the region.

aWe have got to learn from this,a he said.

Walker St Takeaway owner Sharon Christopher said she was still debating whether her business would return to natural gas.

It cost the business $2300 to switch over to bottled gas and will cost a further $300 to switch back to natural gas. …